«В СОРОК ПЕРВОМУ В ЛУЦКУЙ ТЮРМИ ПОБИЛИ»: ФОЛЬКЛОРНИЙ НАРАТИВ ПРО РОЗСТРІЛИ В’ЯЗНІВ У ЧЕРВНІ 1941 РОКУ ЯК ФІКСАЦІЯ ЗЛОЧИНУ РАДЯНСЬКОЇ ТОТАЛІТАРНОЇ СИСТЕМИ В ПАМ’ЯТІ НАРОДУ

The proposed article explores the representation of the tragedy of mass executions in Lutsk Prison in June 1941, carried out by the NKVD on the eve of the entry of German troops into Lutsk, in oral historical narratives. The study analyzes the plot-motive structure of folklore narratives on historical themes recorded in the Manevychi district of the Volyn oblast between 2018 and 2024. It is emphasized that the plots of autobiographical memorates reflect not only the crime of the totalitarian regime itself, but also its impact on the memory of World War II events in Volyn Polissia. The study proves that the narratives about Lutsk Prison are closely related to stories about the national liberation movement in Volyn Polissia, as among the victims were Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) activists, intellectuals, and leaders of local cultural organizations. The key stages of the texts about the mass executions of Ukrainians during World War II that were transformed into folklore are traced. The article highlights the role of folklore narratives in preserving the memory of the executions and their connection to Ukrainian national identity. Memoirs and oral stories emphasize the cruelty of the massacre, its symbolic significance, and the subsequent struggle of the survivors for Ukraine’s independence. Special attention is given to motifs of miraculous rescue, the cooperation of some Ukrainians with the German administration after the NKVD crimes, and attempts to interpret the tragedy through the lens of folk memory of mass executions. A number of plots demonstrate that Soviet repression became a catalyst for the growth of the national movement. The article underlines the importance of folklore testimonies in restoring historical justice and studying the repressive practices of the Soviet totalitarian regime.